Willy Wonka & The Starlet
by Onlyndreams145
Summary: Who was Willy Wonka before he was THE Willy Wonka? This story is about a rise of a star, its about a boy and a girl who fall in love, chocolate, its about…all sorts of things. But it must be believed to be seen. Wonka/oc
1. The Star

1953…

"Do you always have to be a royal pain in everyones ass Geovani?" Gina stated as her eldest brother continuously kicked the leg of her chair with the toe of his shoe.

"I'm bored!" said Geovani as a point of reason. "Then go be bored elsewhere!" Gina shot over her book. "Why don't you go bother Gavino or Grace, or her royal highness Gabriella, I know they ain't doing nothing."

Geovani tucked his hands into the wholly pockets of his hand-me-down slacks. "I already got into it with Gavino earlier."

"Then go help dad out and get a job stupid!" Giada said from the only other room of the house walking into the next room with Gavino at her hip as she ranted. "The rest of us are lookin for jobs or standin on the corner askin for handouts. You think we like it? No, but at least we have a right to complain."

"See what I mean Gina!" Geovani pointed at Gavino seeing an opportunity to start up a fight again; which was a favorite past time of his. "Gavino is lazy! Lazy lazy lazy!"

"Don't you start with me Geovani! Don't you start with me!" then the bunch of them started in all at once in a loud crusade of being crude and argumentative for arguments sake. The only ones who did not join in were Giuseppe, Giorgio, Gabriella and Grace who weren't in the house at present.

Now to be perfectly clear, there were 8 children in the Grammario family and they were all born in order of appearance; Geovani who is 22, Gabriella 21, Gavino 20, Grace who just turned 19, Giorgio and Giuseppe (the twins) at age 18) Giada 16 and Gina who is 12. Their father and mother are Gus and Glinda Grammario who were immigrants who managed to go from bad to worse, from poor to even poorer.

But this story isn't about the people who are in the two bedroom **tiny house** at present, is it? No, this story is about a rise of a star, its about a boy and a girl who fall in love, its about…all sorts of things, just not things that have to do with anyone in this house at this moment!

Let's go to the street where the story really starts. Here, here she is our star, our heroine, our fem fatale. A cute little blonde carrying some shopping bags out of a dress shop walks elegantly across the street in a pair of pristine heels. She walks with confidence, her beautiful face held high, she meets the world with a smile. She had the look of old money to her and refinement.

To the blonde the world is her oyster and nothing can obstruct her from being the pearl and the center of attention. Nothing except for that dirty, mousy girl standing at the corner waiting to cross the same street she was about to cross, how vulgar!

The blonde sauntered up to the shoeless girl and waited as the cars raced by. This girl was tan, with dim, repressed blue eyes, chocolate brown hair that looked like it had been cut with a butcher knife and a **brown dress** that was covered in patch work.

The urchin girl was leaning up against the light post with her arms folded across her stomach as if it would keep the hunger at bay. When the blonde set her bags down the other girl greeted her by turning her head and smiling a small smile "Unusual Autumn we're having." The urchin started, to which the blonde said nothing. "Its an Indian summer." The urchin girl tried again just as warmly as before. "Hot and dry, good for swimming if you know a place to go."

"I don't have any money to give you." The blonde said curtly.

"I didn't expect you too." Answered the brunette with a shrug. The blonde rolled her eyes and tapped her foot waiting for the light to change. She then looked down at the girls bare torn up feet and snarled. "Isn't the cement hot?" she asked out of spite.

The urchin girl smiled again glad for the small window of conversation even if it was in bitter context. "it is." She consented tucking one foot behind the other as if to try and hide them. "I felt sorry for myself, until I saw the man without feet." She said hoping that the cliché would lighten the mood.

"Well, I think **Scotland yard** should do the world a favor and get rid of you both." The other girl snickered looking at her perfectly manicured nails. "Its your lot of people that drags my lot in the mud, begging on street corners for other peoples hard earned cash."

The urchin girl uncrossed her arms and stepped down firmly from the light post. "There is no need to be so rude." She said crossly. "I wasn't asking for money. I was simply trying to pass time until the light turned red and we both could cross." The light then turned red and the blonde sucked in a breath through her nostrils. "I'll give you this, my lot may have no money but at least we don't look down on the world from a high horse. Good day." And at that the brunette crossed the street two join to identical looking young men in similar patchy garb.

"You should have punched her." said the one to the girl's left. "Punch her lights right out." Added the boy to her right slamming his fist into his palm.

"Oh yeah?" she mused. "And where would that have gotten me, Giorgio? A night in the slammer? No thank you." She shook her head before turning to them. "Anyway it doesn't matter, how did the **job search** go? Any luck?"

Giuseppe the oldest of the twins by 13 minutes ran a hand over his greasy slicked **back hair** , shuffling his feet along. "I had an interview with that mechanic place."

"Good Giuseppe." Beamed the girl walking a head only a little. "Do you think they liked you?"

"I dunno Grace." He murmured. "Alotta good lookin hicks in there with some actual schoolin and experience."

"Besides." Added Giorgio. "How many people do you know that actually like us? Look at that bitch earlier." He said pointing back towards the crosswalk. "Maybe she was onto somethin, maybe someone should just shoot us and put us outta our misery."

Grace gave the idea only a moment of thought as her stomach growled and than came to her senses. "Don't talk like that." She scolded. "You're starting to sound like dad. We just-" she faltered. "We just gotta stay positive."

The boys stopped in their tracks and stared at her until she turned to them. "and end up like Gabriella…"

Grace felt coldness in her heart at this remark. How could they be so cruel, so judgmental about their own sister. Grace took a breath. "Gabriella saw the goodness in others and didn't piss and moan like the rest of us. Being taken advantage of wasn't her fault." She said with a warning before resuming walking. "We should all try and be more like she was."

"Was being the optimum word." Stated Giorgio flatly.

"Why don't you just shut up, will ya." Grace replied. "You'll never know what she has been through until you've walked a mile in her shoes."

The trio was silent. Giuseppe broke the quietness by saying. "You didn't tell us about you Grace, any luck with the job search?"

Grace shrugged. "I applied at the dress shop and to be a **telephone operator**. The lady I got the application from said I had a nice voice."

"Yeah?" asked her brother.

"Yeah." She confirmed with a smile. She then looked up at the town clock tower that read six o'clock and turned back to the twins with a laugh in her voice. "You two better get home, its dinner time." The two gave her a kiss on the cheek. "You're not comin?" Giorgio asked cocking an eyebrow.

"No, I'm gonna stay out and keep looking. Besides I drew the short straw last night, remember?"

The boys nodded solemnly in unison. It was an awful practice that the family had to do twice a week. Draw straws to see who had to fast for a day so there would be enough food for the rest of the week. So there really wasn't much point in going home right at six to watch everyone else eat.

She walked around for a few more minutes trying to decide if she had done the right thing with that girl today. She could have been tougher, she could have said for the girl to go take a flying leap off of a tall cliff. No one would have blamed her, her family would have commended her for it. but she also knew that in the back of her mind she would hear Gabriella reminding her that "you get more flies with honey…". She didn't want to be bitter, but at the same time she didn't want to be dirt poor and friendless either.

It was getting hotter, so hot that it was nearly unbearable. So, at this she slipped into the first available shop with an AC.

Grace stepped into the cool candy shop and let the air wash over her sticky, wet skin. It was hotter than the Dickens out there. The bell above the shop door announced her arrival and once more she was in a world she didn't belong, a world that required money. And to make matters worse, seated at the counter was the pretty, rich blonde girl from her earlier.

The girl eyed her with pretty eyes framed by thick mascaraed lashes, her hair was done in perfect curls that hung in a ponytail in a Chantilly scarf that matched her dress. Grace momentarily gripped at the ends of her short brown hair, wishing that it was long enough to style and that she had the tools to do so.

At that moment the candy store clerk waltzed back with a cherry cola with a dopy smile on his face. "Here you go Helen!" he tweeted. "The best soda pop you will ever-" the young man trailed off when he saw poor little urchin Grace standing by the door by the lollipops. He was judging her, he had to be, she felt it. He was watching her closely if she was going to steal something, all store clerks looked at her this way, why should this one be different?

"OH Willy this is to die for!" the girl named Helen burst averting the young man's attention rather flamboyantly by smacking his wrist. "Cute and nifty." She giggled before pursing her red-red lips on the straw and batting her eyes. Grace gagged inwardly at the blunt pass but was glad for the distraction so she could look around freely.

The smells of the shop were tantalizing and as she read wrapper after wrapper with their bright colors, the room began to spin. She was so, so hungry. Hungry enough that she felt light headed and likely to get sick and pass out. She was overheated, overheated and starving.

A sudden cool hand brushed her forearm gently, and the coolness of the touch somehow revived her momentarily, she gasped a little more intensely than she meant to and whirled around to meet the face of the clerk who looked…concerned? She backed away like a frightened animal at first, having been gruffly thrown out of her fair share of shops in the past and being battered from it. But then she straightened and thought of what her siblings might say if they were her. she put on a brave face and swallowed, before meeting the clerks eyes. "I wasnt stealing anything." She said. "I was just looking, an-and I have a right to look around and try and cool off, right?" at this the clerk smiled, seeing her struggle as she brushed hair away from her eyes, trying to look tough. "Quite right." He agreed, taking Grace aback.

"You have siblings right? I see you guys around often." He continued taking some bars down from a higher part of the shelf and Grace watched in silence. "Forgive me but I like to study people and guess what their favorite candy would be."- he paused and handed her what he had. "You look like a Carmel girl, or maybe a soft toffee, or a mocha something." Another pause and he smiled. "Something sweet and classic, and fine."  
Helen back at the counter stomped her foot and whined "Willy!" the clerk gave a halfhearted nod towards her and then set his full attention back on Grace. "That's my name, Willy, I prefer Willy or Will but you can call me William if you want. Don't call me anything you like just call me late for dinner." As soon as the words left his lips he shut his eyes in frustration. "Strike that, reverse it."

Grace smiled a bit. What a backwards chap! Here he was handing an urchin merchandise, ignoring a pretty rich girl to talk to a homeless girl and he talked strangely. His eyes glistened and he put one hand against the shelf. "You have a very pretty smile, iridescent really. You should smile more, I hope that you do. Whats your name?"

Grace answered his question with one of her own. "What are these for?" her eyes flashed down to the sweets in her arms. "I cant pay for them….any of them." She said honestly. The clerk looked deep into her eyes and grinned. "I already told you these are for your family, no payment required. Now will you tell me your name." there was a whim to this, like he really wanted to know.

" I cant just take this." Grace argued. "It wouldn't be honest." She started to hand them back but the clerk argued and at this point Helen was boiling. "William if you don't come away from that street rat, I will leave and never go on another date with you again!"

To Grace's shock the young man waved over his shoulder and said "Goodbye Helen, don't let the door hit you." As calmly as possible. Helen stomped her foot with a sob and stormed out. Grace hung her mouth open and shook her head. "I have never met a boy quite like you in my life!" she gawked, and the clerk laughed. "You must be hitched in the head! You must be crazy!"

The clerk then realized this wasn't a compliment, he had really put her off. He hung his head and started away. Grace bit her lip and then reached out to him. "But apparently I like crazy, Willy, my names Grace, just Grace…and I'll take the candies back to my family and tell you if you guessed right about their favorites, you know."

"You mean, you'll come back?"

"If you really want me to."

The clerk nodded. "Very much so."

Grace gave a smile. "Okay then." She blushed looking down at her feet. "I'll see you around." She slung open the door an exited. What had just happened? Had she really just agreed to go back to a store? Agreed to go back and see a boy no less? Could a boy have really wanted to see her again? He didn't know her well enough to like her or dislike her, nor she him but here was an opportunity to find out. A golden opportunity to make a friend or enter into dangerous territory, or a many array of things. The point was, there was at last an opened door.

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

I like how this came out, a little scattered and unconventional, not a lot of interaction but enough to get the ball rolling...  
i hope you like it

reviews are love


	2. Tale of Woe

"I'm home!" she declared as the door shut behind her, a steadfast little smile on her face. But they didn't hear her. how could they? When there were 10 overtly loud Italian conversations going on all at once. It was this one pitted against that one and on and on.

Grace rolled her eyes and strolled into the room and stood next Giada who was testing little Gina on her trivia of the old country so they wouldn't have to get a lecture from their father about what a bunch of uncultured mooks they all were. It wasn't fair really, to quiz anyone in the family about Napoli beyond Gavino and herself only slightly. The first four; Geovani, Gabriella, Gavino and herself were the only ones who really ever saw Napoli. They were raised there. And it was strange how all four of them had different versions of what it was like.

Geovani remembered it as his playground; he had been a prize fighter on the streets and could sweet talk any girl he wanted from below their windows by night. He was the slick rooster of the hen house, scratching and pecking at anyone who threatened his manhood or his chicks

Gavino remembers it as the place where he and his brother had an opportunity to be away from each other. A time where Geovani wasn't breathing down his neck. Then again he had been pushed off a gondola his fair share of times so his mind was a little…watery.

As for the two girls? Well, it wouldn't be a story if I gave everything away to quickly. Would it?

When Grace began to see empty plates, she bumped her brother Giuseppe with her hip as a notion for him to scoot over without interrupting. Waiting for a moment of silence or a hint of one at least she said. "Would anyone like dessert?"

The lot of them turned with mixed expressions on their faces; some with anger, some with misguided hope. "Yeah right." Scoffed Giada. "Like that's fn possible, we barely get food!"

"But what if it was?" Grace edged on, with a smile that was otherwise unmistakably excited. "What if it was very, very possible!"

Gina wiggled a little under the suspense. "Like cake? Or chocolate Grace? Something like that?" saliva began to gather at the corners of her lips and Grace ruffled her hair. "Yes Gina something exactly like that. And we wouldn't have to share it either for once, we all get our own!"

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Geovani began to clench and unclench his fists that were resting on the table before he slammed them down hard. "You think this is fn funny?!" he heaved out nearly knocking over his water glass. "You think our situation is one big yuck fest? Or maybe its spite!" his voice began to rise, and there was that look on his eyes. "Do you want to get hit?" he asked. "Is that what you want? Your puttin on this show cause you didn't get to eat?"

"I never want to get hit." She answered steadily. The others knew that Grace was going too far; in dragging out whatever surprise she had in store; they knew she did have something for them, Grace wasn't the type to kid around cruelly like that, but she was the type to embellish on something good to make it seem a bigger deal than it was. but, it didn't matter, Geovani was losing his patients and fast. But she was going to make this special for them! She was determined too. She met his eyes solidly. "I have a point to what I'm saying." She said firmly.

"Then you better fn make it, and I better like it." He challenged sitting back, fists still on the table and at the ready. One by one Grace put the sweets on the table in a neat line. Eyes grew large at the sight. It was like seeing gold or a diamonds.

"Chocolate." Gavino gawked from across the table. "Real chocolate!"

They all inched closer. "It is real isn't it Grace?" inquired Giada with anxious fingers.

"Of course its real you idiot!" marveled Giorgio. "Why wouldn't it be!"

"Did you knock off a store to get it Grace?" questioned the other twin.

Grace laughed and shook her head. "No, it was given to me."

Gina looked at her sister with wide eyes. "Can we touch it?"

Grace stepped away from the table with a grin. "Have at it kids!"

They jumped at the opportunity. Grace marked that the candy store clerk hadn't specified what candy was meant for who. So she took a nearby pad of paper and jotted down who grabbed what for her endeavor to see the candy boy tomorrow if she decided to go. Geovani pointed out that there were only 7 bars, Grace lied and said that she had eaten hers on the way home and then snatched up the last bar, a Charlston chew bar and went into the next room.

The candy boy couldn't have known there were 8 children to her family, because Gabriella was never mobile. Gabriella was asleep when Grace found her. She looked so much like an angel. Of the girls Gabriella was the pretty one of the family. Long black hair and full red lips, flawless skin, even bedridden with tangles she looked photogenic. A Snow White or Sleeping Beauty at their finest.

Grace sat on the edge of the bed and shook her sister gently, whispering. "Briella, wake up. I have a surprise for you."

Gabriella's green orbs fluttered open to the world. After a moment of getting her wits about her she smiled at the sight of her sister sitting beside her. "Bambina." She giggled brushing the girls hair with a motherly smile. "You didn't run away today." Gabriella said half in disappointment that the girl had willed herself back to the awful place where they lived.

Grace took the hand from her cheek gently. "I have nothing to run away from" Grace stated. "I'm happy where I am." With this, Grace had her older sister wrap her arms around her neck to help her sit up, Gabriella was very light since she didn't have legs that went any further then just above her knees. She had lost them when she was 16 running away from home. it was said at least by Geovani, that Gabriella had been hitch hiking and got pushed out of a moving car and had rolled into some rusty nails, and that he had found her a couple days too late to save her legs.

The medical bills were what really did the family in financially. Gabriella had tried to run back to Napoli around the same time that her father's business was going under and it spiraled from there. Gabriella had started out in a nice home where she had nurses to help care for her but then it got to be too much when the twins were born, then for a while there was an in home nurse. Then the business was lost completely and of course Grace being the only other girl in the family at that point was "told" at age 13 to drop out of school to become a care taker to her sisters while her brothers finished up their schooling to "be something", boys are always held higher than girls in Italian families.

And so it went, the house was lost, more kids came and now dad traveled to find odd jobs wherever he could and mom traveled with him and they would send money back to the kids. This left Geovani as man of the house, Gabriella as a dictating mother and Grace as acting mother.

"What surprise do you have for me bambina?" Gabriella asked as her pillows were adjusted. "Have you found a genie, or a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow? Or a prince to carry you away from this place? Tell me." Gabriella looked with longing; her soul full of fanciful wishes.

"Nothing like that." Grace said with a smile. "at least not yet." She humored before showing her sister the Charleton chew. "This was given to me today. An act of kindness just like you said."

Gabriella examined the bar, turning it in her hands. "See." She started. "The world is still a good place like I keep telling you, and like you must keep telling the others."

Grace sighed, breathing through her nostrils. "I know." She agreed. "Its just hard not to get discouraged after so long, and to keep the others afloat."

Gabriella leant back, seeing that her sister was going into the dark worry of her mind. "Tell me about who gave this to you." Gabriella prodded wanting to keep Grace in the light of the moment. "Was it a very old man with kind eyes and a mustache? Or perhaps a lady with cats galore. Act it out for me like you used to. That will be the real treat."

Grace bit her lip. "Briella." She started with a hint of dread. "Its been so long since I've acted and-"

"Please Grace." She plead softly. "Let me live through you." Gabriella squeezed her hand with unlived life burning in her eyes. It seemed such a simple request from a creature so sweet and so loving that had every reason to just give up on life but refuse to. Grace after a moment smiled and consented.

And so Grace put on a one man play. She played the snotty rich girl on the corner, both twins that walked at her side earlier that day, herself of course and the charming, backwards candy boy that was the awe and intrigue of the performance.

By the end of it Gabriella was glowing and begging Grace to see the boy, Willy, again so that she might have another performance. When all was done and the candy bar was shared between the two of them Grace found Geovani over by the sink as their other siblings were all outside still basking in the joy of candy. Grace smiled and shook her head as she watched them from the window doing dishes.

"So," Geovani started tapping his fingers against his arms. "Gracie is the big breadwinner today. The hero!" his tone was condescending and mocking, Grace started to scrub more slowly to listen to his footsteps as he continued. "Bring home some candy, put on a little show make Geovani looka like a fool. Looka like the bad guy."

Grace resumed a normal pace unfazed by her brother puffing out his chest like a great male ape. "I didn't mean anything by it Geovani." She stated flatly, not looking away from her task. Suddenly she was ranched back by the forearm and thrown back to see the vain popping in her eldest brother's right arm as a fist drawn back threatened to beam her. She gasped and turned her face since she knew any plan of action now would only make it worse, even if she hit him back and defended herself which was the normal course of action it would only lead to a fate much worse than a onetime punch and with little to no food it wouldn't be much of a fight. "Don't you takea that tone with me!"

And he let her go after that, with a warning.

 **xxxxxxxxxxx**

 **please tell me what you think :)**


	3. Sugar Coated

The next day came almost too quickly, if that were possible. The roles were switched; all that had been out of the house yesterday were cooped up and vice versa. That meant the twins, Grace, Gabriella and little Gina were awaiting what the other family members would bring home in the sense of **employment**. The Grammario family seemed always on a rotation of some sort. if one did something one day, another would be doing the next day and so on. The family ran like cogs in a fine machine. Cogs that didn't necessarily like each other, but cogs no less.

"I hate when we have to stay home." muttered Giuseppe tossing playing cards absentmindedly on the floor. "Theres-a nothin to do!"

"You could pump the water and help me clean the floors ay Giuseppe!" said Giorgio annoyed as he ran the **scrub brush** against the faded wood, dipped it back in the bucket and repeated the motion."

"Ia could." Mused the other twin putting his feet up on the chair opposite him before concluding with. "But I donta think I will."

At this in a tantrum like state, Giorgio flung the wet brush at his brother who yelped when the cold thing made contact with his foot. **Leaping** to his feet. "Ow! You brokea my toe!"

Giorgio got to his feet too. "You mamas boy, it barely touched you! Barely touched you!" his hands flew animatedly as he talked.

"Enough! Both of you." Grace cautioned over her shoulder as she skimmed over Gina's arithmetic homework. She had one hand on the back of Gina's chair, the other leaning against the table for balance, her lips moving silently in reading. "Looks good to me honey." She hummed suddenly still deep in thought before snapping her head up. "But I better go ask Briella, shes better at math than I am." She snatched up the paper and kissed Gina's temple. "Be back in a jiff."

She swept into the next room and handed her sister the paper. Gabriella frowned. "Bambina, what are you still doing here?"

Grace began to straighten up the room to play off that she had no clue what her sister was implying. "Oh this and that,, you know. So how does Gina's paper look? I thought it looked right but-"

"No no no. you don't get to play clueless Christine that easily." Gabriella scorned before pointing at the floor next to her bed. "Come here."

Grace did as she was told and stood as if she were a child again getting in trouble, Gabriella took her hand and pulled Grace down to the bed. "You told that boy Willy that you were going to see him again no?" she asked. Grace nodded and Gabriella lifted her chin and **repeated**. "Then why are you still here Bambina?

Grace pulled her chin away and sighed. "Because it seems too good to be true." She started to get up hoping that was reason enough but Gabriella pulled her back. "You will never know unless you go Bambina."

Grace shook her head. "I shouldn't have gone in the first place. I feel like nothing good can come of me going back and I don't wanna find out the hard way that I'm right."

"So you're just going to stand him up? I thought I raised you with better manors than that."

Grace looked away. "You did."

"Just go for awhile. Thank him for the candy again. Talk to the boy." Gabriella cooed. "Then after all that, after you've really given this a chance. You never have to go again if you don't want. Okay?"

And so Grace went with a heavy pit in her stomach. She must have stood on that **street corner** for at least 30 minutes just watching the candy boy. He seemed so,…..so …. Was there words? Or good words at least. Kind. Yes kind is a good start. Of course there were kids in the shop; but it was how he interacted with them that made her intrigued. He seemed almost like a child himself at times with his enthusiastic smile climbing up and down the shelf ladder as he pulled down candy of all sorts and handed them to eager hands and when the children talked he certainly seemed to be listening intently and nodding. But when it came to his adult clientele he seemed….distant and almost indifferent to a point that seemed a little beyond professional.

At times he would say something and the adults would get such looks of **contempt** and displeasure and even confusion on their faces that Grace couldn't help but laugh and wonder what the candy boy was saying. Especially moments when he would touch his ear and then walk away in the midst of a conversation. What a contradictory. What a wonderful, amusing contradictory.

She couldn't…she just couldn't…. she started to walk away but fate stepped in once again and led them to each other; one a little more reluctant than the other.

He had seen her leaving, had looked up just at the right moment and bolted to get out the door "Grace?! Oh GRACE!" a velvet voice called out to her. she turned, there stood her candy boy, slim body half out the door. "You werent leaving, were you?"

Grace closed her eyes caught in the act and a smile forced its way upon her lips even though she didn't want to smile but she did. "I was as a matter of fact."

"You're mumbling!" the boy called across the street, clutching the door frame.

She cleared her throat and put her hands to her lips like a trumpet and spoke louder. "I said I was just thinking about leaving, it felt right!"

"Still mumbling Grace!" he called back this time a hint of a smile played at his lips. "Can't hear you! I'm a trifle deaf dear!" he touched his ear like she had seen him do in the shop.

She gulped in a huge breath of air without thinking and yelled. "I SAID-" she stopped at the curious eyes of onlookers. What was she doing? What the hell was she doing? Yelling across the street like some sort of banshee! That wasn't like her at all! A blush of humility lit her cheeks and she could see the shoulders of the candy boy shake lightly with laughter.

"No need to yell." He said. "Come over here so we can talk like a civilized young man and lady."

At his request she abandon her thoughts of leaving and went over to the smiling young man who had won at his little game. "I thought you would see it my way in the end." He gloated before yanking her in the shop before she had a chance to allude him. "Come in, so much time so little to do and what naught." He closed his eyes in recalculation and said. "Strike that, reverse it." He strolled in and got behind the counter and started sprucing up a milkshake glass. "Sit-sit-sit-sit!" he chirped. "Enlighten me, amuse me, indulge me, entertain me, be my company! Sit! " his eyes flashed to the bar stools and Grace hesitantly sat down a little thrown by his energy. "You certainly know how to make a girl feel…welcomed." She said awkwardly, musing on the last word.

"Milkshake?" he offered. "Or maybe a soda pop with extra cherry syrup; spicy but sweet, cool but refreshing?" he then studied her and looked at her strangely. "What was the last thing you have eaten?"

"Just some bread this morning." She answered.

"With or without butter?" he pressed.

"With."

"Salted or unsalted?"

Grace laughed a little nervously at the serious expression that lit the candy boys eyes. "Unsalted, I think, maybe. Don't quote me." she tucked back a few wild hairs as she seriously tried to recall what kind of butter they had back at the house, like it truly mattered.

"A chocolate malt then." He snapped before busying himself with making a concoction. "A Milkshake will be too much, soda pop will be too little. A malt, definitely a malt is needed in this situation. Don't you agree?" he looked back at her with raised eyebrows and she shrugged.

"You're the expert here, not me."

"That's right!" he beamed. "I am the expert! I knew I liked you for some reason or another!" he paused and gave a genuine smile that brought out her own smile as their eyes lingered momentarily before he jumped back to his task at supersonic speed. "Come!" he coaxed. "Tell me about your day so I can tell you about mine! What have you been up to? Nothing to good I hope!" he said with a wicked deviance in his eyes.

"I still can't pay for anything Willy, you know that don't you?' she asked in sad earnest, and that sinking feeling came back to her.

"Nonsense!" he burst. "You can pay me in kind! Talk with me as I have asked you and you will be paying me in kind Grace! In kind!" he then turned to her pointing a scowling finger at her. "And for heavens sake you silly girl answer a question straightforwardly! If you keep answering a question with a question we will never get anywhere except a list of unanswered questions! Infuriating! Absolutely infuriating!" before she could reply the candy boy slid a cold glass down the length of the wood bar. "Taste that!" he ordered. "And for heavens sakes do not hold back! Tell me what you think."

She did as he asked her. the thick concoction hit her lips and then danced on her tongue. It was chocolate alright but it had an awful underlying bitter to it that made her gag. She pushed the glass away shuttering. "I don't like it." She admitted.

Willy took the glass with glee. "Good girl!" he commended. "Malts are always awful and that was a test!" he handed her napkins and she wiped her lips. "A test?" she questioned still shuttering slightly. "Why would you give something to me if you knew it was gross?!" she soon added. "Did I at least pass the test?"

He rested his chin in his head. "Yes my dear you did quite well." He smiled and then took the glass and dumped it so he could put a milkshake in. "You know, malt is one of the things they put in beer." He started. "The fact that you don't like it tells me that you are not a drinker or smoker."

Grace blinked. "You gathered that from me not liking something?" she asked, not entirely believing him.

"Oh yes!" he affirmed. "If you think that's amazing why don't you run how the candy bars went over with your family last night by me." he rested his hand on his chin again.

At this Grace nodded and pulled out the list of who took what from her pocket. "About that." She started. "You didn't tell me what candy you meant for who so I just laid it out kinda as a free for all and wrote who took what." She sighed as he took the list and skimmed it with his eyes. "Delightful Grace! This is exactly what I wanted you to do! Now I can tell you exactly what your siblings are like!"

Grace eyed him cautiously. "I don't believe you." She said quietly.

Willy cleared his throat and began his speech. "It says here, the Atomic fireballs were taken up by Giada; I'm guessing shes the second to the youngest girl; she must be pretty bold but then being a middle child you do have to fight for attention. She must be the one I always see on Smith Street smoking cigarettes with the tough kids. But she must have a soft side because she only ate two of the three."

Grace was amazed, he went on.

" Here are the boys that are always with you! Giorgio and Giuseppe. Identical Twins obviously! Younger than you by a year I'm guessing. Almond Joy and Mounds. Now Giorgio took the Mounds but ate the nut off the Almond Joy; which is a very helpful detail thank you for writing it down. That tells me that Giorgio is the trickster of the two and Giuseppe the one who obviously is more closer to you is more mellow and quiet."

Grace was astonished. "there is no possible way- how are you doing this?" she sat forward completely entranced not only by the candy boys uncanny astuteness but by the way his eyes just seemed to blaze with passion about what he was speaking of. "I am just getting started dear lady."

"Go on then!" she prompted. "Don't leave me in suspense."

And so he did. He told her that Gina was the youngest because she took the gummy bears and that she must be good at math or science because she ate the green ones mostly. And he told her about Gavino being a little slow because he ate pop rocks with a glass of water and Geovani being the oldest and being bossy because he had taken the solid chocolate bar (that Willy actually had meant for Grace because he had seen her eyeing it) and that the Charleton chew had to have been taken by someone good and kind because it was the least appealing of the bunch.

He was magic! Though that part of her that had believed in magic and miracles had been beaten down in her after years of being tied to reality and disappointment; she felt that he was a magician. She was enthralled with him; he made her forget who she was and her station in life and that this wild, mad reprieve of a candy coated life could last forever. She wished that it could….and that was what scared her most.

"You are so strange." She mused aloud. "How did you get like this? how do you know so much from candy?"

Willy shrugged. "How does anybody know anything?" he asked bluntly. "They study it and study it and study it. I've made sweets my primary focus my whole life!"

"But why?" she pressed.

"Because its simply how I was made! Children are easier to deal with than adults and candy is easier and much more pleasanter to deal with than people all together. Bright colors make everything brighter, sweets make everything sweeter. Simple logic really."

Grace shook her head. "But does nothing ever bother you?" she asked. "You seem so…care-free."

Willy laughed. "What an idiotic question!" he giggled almost too happily. "Of course things bother me, silly Grace I am still human."

"Yeah." She admitted rubbing her neck. "That was pretty stupid. Sorry." She shook her head to clear her mind. "Anyway, since you know a bit about me. tell me about you. What was your childhood like?" she half smiled at her poor attempt for small talk.

"Not a very happy one." He replied, his smiling fading a little, he leant against the counter. "Because of how I think in terms of candy and how I don't care much for people. I was put in a group home when I was young and just got out on my own a few years ago, I'm not a danger to anyone, I just have a bit of a swelling in my brain. Autism, can you understand that?" he looked at her in question. "You see, you could say I sugar coat the world, because I have to, its how I function. Can you understand that Grace? Can you?" he sounded almost panicked.

Grace felt a little awful for calling him strange and crazy earlier. "Yes." She said quietly her thoughts going back to her sister. "I think I can try." she got up from her seat and walked over to the candy dots musing quietly. She had never had a conversation come so easily. "My sister lost her legs when she was 16 and us being poor and all, and she always says if you don't laugh, you cry." She sighs crossing her arms. "So I guess its kinda the same thing."

"Exactly so." Added Willy. "You are precisely on the right end of things. I had a hunch you would be!" he walked over to her. "When I saw you yesterday I thought to myself, now theres a girl who must know what its like to want to change things! Have big dreams! Wish away the grey."

Grace laughed a little lost in her own thoughts as she studied the different colors of dots on the paper. "Dreams." She mused half dazed. "I haven't had one of those since I was a little girl." She tilted her head slightly. "It always was the same dream though. I wanted to be an actress like Garbo or Bankhead." She sighed and came back to reality giving the candy boy a bittersweet smile. "But we all gotta wake up sometime right?"

Willy shook his head. "Wrong." He grinned. "You're wrong Grace. And I'm going to prove it to you. If you let me."

His eyes met her eyes and she willingly agreed to come back the next day. And so it began If all the world is a stage and if they are the dreamers of dreams then the two greatest advocates for imagination were destined to be star-crossed.

 **Here it is! This was kinda hard to write and I put a bit of a twist on Willy's** **past** **due to some of the comments I read on some of the inspiration of the Musical Wonka, I thought it might be an interesting explanation for Wonka's overtly brilliant mind. I decided to go a little fast on how quickly they connect because you gotta imagine this is the first real** **friend** **either of them has ever had. I hope I did okay.**


	4. If The World Were Different

**CHP 4**

Never were a boy and girl more suited for each other. Nor were two people such fast friends. But what else can be expected when two dreamers meet? Grace saw her candy boy every day whether or not it was her day to be out and about; the danger thus far was that Geovani might catch her or Mr. Brown the candy store owner might catch on and throw her out and Willy too; but being young and foolish as young people often are Willy and Grace cared little for repercussions.

They did all sorts of things together. Like one time, they stacked candy bars up very tall like, adding bars until they all fell and scattered. It was so tall that Grace and Willy had to pull out two stools from the counter and stand on them. It was a great game.

"You're going to lose Grace, its going to fall on your turn!" Willy teased as he cautiously placed another bar to their convection tower, closing his eyes as it waned and swayed, he started to put his hands on either side to steady it. Grace shook her head. "Hey no cheating! Remember the rules! And not on your life Wonka! It'll fall on your turn!"

She placed her bar and it swayed again. "Should we really be doing this with the candy?" she asked.

Willy popped his head around the tower. "Its not selling, you wont let me give you anymore. Do you have a better idea? My turn." He stood on his toes and bang! It fell and when it did they saw each other clearly and after a moment laughed. "I told you so!" Grace said triumphantly as Willy hopped down from his stool and stepped over the mess of chocolate bars to below her stool. He looked up into her eyes. "I let you win!" he countered before holding his arms up to help her down. She gave a cheeky smile and said "liar." Before she jumped down on her own avoiding his helping arms. "Lets clean this up shall we."

It went on like that for weeks. The two had finally found happiness in what had been an otherwise unhappy world. It was almost nearly perfect. Willy knew Grace didn't know his world but she would learn. She was learning! Learning to let go, learning to trust. She hung on his every word, committed it to memory and remembered them when she felt sad or angry or hurt. She was singing again, and dancing. Hardly anything bothered her now. And everyone noticed. It of course made Gabriella happy to see that Grace wasn't sinking into sorrow anymore, the twins found her most entertaining this way, Giada found her new optimism annoying as most her age do, Gavino and Gina didn't know what to think of this new Grace and Geovani was just as always angry. None of them knew what brought this change on in her.

Everything was easier now; now that she had someone to confide in and laugh with. Someone that reminded her of her old dreams…and evoke new dreams; new, special, secret dreams, dreams that every girl has. It frightened her to feel this way. But it was a wonderful kind of frightened. The best kind of frightened; a mixture of hesitation, thrill, excitement and doubt.

But one day it got even more frightening, more thrilling! It was one of those days where Grace could walk a little easier because it was her day to be out and she knew she wouldn't have to look over her shoulder for Geovani. As she approached the candy shop there was an odd sight; it made her worry slightly. Her candy boy wasn't in his shop. He was on the street corner…looking rather dashing, but sincerely out of his element. He looked as if he had new slacks on and there was such an aroma of must and hair gel? He was looking around nervously until he saw her coming toward him with that smile.

"Gee whiz Willy." She started with a laugh, "What did you do? Bathe in cologne? I could smell you from a mile away." She teased as suddenly she stood before him, he didn't look at her, or crack a smile. "You don't like it?" he asked quietly. "No, of course I do." She answered in a softer tone while unconsciously adjusting his lavender sweater vest, her voice dropped. "I love everything you do- but why aren't you in the shop?" a sudden look of panic crossed her face and she backed away. "I haven't gotten you fired have I?" she asked. "I mean your not dressed like this to go on job interviews? Oh god, if you are I-I don't know what I'd do! I'd feel awful, I couldn't live with myself- I told you I was scaring off customers- I told you a girl like me shouldn't be in the shop-" she rambled assuming the worst.

Willy's voice was sharp and cut through her panic. "Grace, Grace my darling girl, I will tell you gladly what is going on once you stop acting like the world is ending before our very eyes." He said, hinting that she was being a tad theatrical. "I haven't gotten fired you silly girl. I'm dressed like this for a date with a pretty girl."

Her heart plummeted to her stomach; she had almost wished he had been fired. She plastered a fake smile on her lips and looked bemused. "A date?" she repeated. "Oh Willy that is wonderful! Where will you take her? what does she look like?" she didn't want to know. She was putting on an act. He smiled and took her hand breathlessly as his eyes twinkled. "Anywhere you would like to go my dear."

Her heart flew up to her throat, which made it quite difficult to breathe. "Me?" she stuttered happily. "You…want…me?" touching a hand to her blushing cheek in disbelief.

"Well don't act so surprised, surely you must have known!"

She shook her head. "No, I never would have guessed." And she wouldn't have. A girl with her prospects, her little to nothingness, her berating family, the responsibility of helping with Gabriella, her lack of income, she still had Gina to rear up, parents to take care of when they got old, punch-happy Geovani to keep at bay…oh god… as all these thoughts plagued her all at once she felt her heart sink again. This poor, wonderful, misguided soul wanted to go on a date with her. she already knew how it would play out. One date would lead to another and another, and her feelings would get deeper and deeper and he would get involved with her family, and feel obligated to her and they would repress his dreams and then she would be forced to choose and one way or another he would end up hating her in the end, she just knew it. She shook her head and fought the tears that threatened to fall. "No Willy." She said backing away from him. "Things are good the way they are. In fact I might have let them go a little too far."

He blinked; they had come so far! He had gotten her out of her shell, he didn't understand. "Grace?" he questioned. "What is the meaning of this? what have I done wrong?" he reached a hand out to her, and brushed her shoulder. "I thought it was clear that this was where we were heading. I thought this is what we both wanted. Have I misread the signs? I mean I know I'm not good with people, but you-"

Grace pulled away and turned to him. "You have." She started. "You have misread the signs. William, you don't wanna be with a girl like me. there is no future in it. Or at least not a happy one."

He opened his mouth offended. "Not a happy one?! There is no happy future for us? How can you say that when just a week ago you told me that our time together have been some of the happiest of your life?!" he gawked.

She pursed her lips. "Look either I'm going to be mooching off of you or you're gonna be dragged through the mud with me! that's no kinda life!"

"Mooching?!" he nearly shouted. "You act as if I wouldn't gladly share everything I have with you, support you- how is that mooching if I want to do it? Besides you're not that type of girl, you're a star!"

"Stop saying that!" she snapped, it touched her, to the point she almost lost her resolve of trying to protect him, to the point she wanted to be selfish and take him at his word and call it a day. But she couldn't, she had to be strong. "And how do you know so much about me huh? A few weeks and a couple of candy bars and you think you're an expert on me, on my family, on my situation? This isn't a fairy story or a play Willy, life doesn't work that way!"

"Damn it Grace!" he countered stomping his foot. "The only reason it doesn't work that way is because you refuse to let it! You are so aggravating sometimes I don't know rather to kiss you or send you to the moon!" he was shouting now, and pointing to where the moon would soon be.

By this time the whole street was an audience to the teenaged spat, Grace got humble and dropped her tension and led Willy back towards the shop for more privacy and said to him lowly. "Look Willy, if I was certain…" she paused briefly. "If I was certain that things could be equal between us; if the world was different, if I had a job and money; I wouldn't even hesitate-"

"What the devil does money matter?-" he countered but she put a hand up to stop him. "Please hear me." she requested softly meeting his eyes. "Don't you see I'm doing this for your own good? Because I care about you too much? Because I know you can do better." She went to touch his cheek to get him to look at her but he pulled away gruffly and crossed his arms. "Whatever the reason," he started. "I think its stupid and that you're acting like a diva." He pouted childishly. Grace felt a painful sad relief tug at her heart as she watched his boyish charms surface once again. She touched his hand affectionately in the conclusion that neither one of them had won the argument and started to walk away. At her touch his pout melted away and a look of pure sadness crossed his face. This was not how he had wanted this to go at all… he took a few steps forward to go after her, his hand outstretched. She looked back before she turned the corner and he saw that there was still hope.

Happily he resumed his pout and called after her. "And don't come back till you have come to your senses!"

 **I hope this is good; I'm going for a sort of Notebooky vibe which is really new for me, normally my stories aren't based on mutual feelings happening so quickly because "I don't believe in love at first sight!" but I kinda like it, hopefully I got how strong their friendship is across correctly. I've decided to stay in order and stay in the 50s its easier that way**.


	5. The Candy Man Can

Come to her senses. That's what her candy boy had said. Well, it is hard to come to ones senses when faced with undeniable happiness that strikes such fear in you. Could it really be that easy, if she let it? Nothing had ever been that simple before. Nor would it be now, or at least not yet. She was going to stay true to her word. She would be with him if the world were different and only if it were different! But that didn't mean she couldn't make her world different. She had to try, she was trying! Now, instead of sneaking to the candy shop she was going to jobs she had applied to and followed up and reapplied and followed up again and again

She knew she would have Geovani to answer to if she ever got anything. He had a strange way of running things. He wanted the family to apply for jobs but if any of them got close to securing one, he got offended and threw a fit that his pride of being "the man of the house" and "being the bread winner" was hurt, not that he had the gumption to go out and get a job himself. it was a matter of mind over matter I suppose.

Nevertheless the future starlet spent days, long days looking for anything that would make her equal to her middle-class admirer. She needed to deserve him, make herself worthy and useful to him anyway she could.

Her candy boy knew her struggle better than anyone. He would watch her from the window walking all over town from dawn to dusk, up on her feet and looking. Sometimes, she would even look in and they would have a conversation just with their eyes alone. How miserable they were without each other.

And like with anything the darkest comes just before the dawn… it was actually an unusually quiet evening at the Grammario household, no one really yelled or talked not that there was much difference in the two in that house. For dinner they had potatoes and bread in red sauce, nothing new. When it was time to pick up the dishes Grace went up the left side of the table and Gina up the right.

Gina spoke and what she said made Grace's heart stop. "So uh how is your boyfriend?"

Grace nearly dropped the china onto the floor and sent them crashing into a million pieces. Did they know about Willy Wonka? She had tried to be so discreet. She opened her mouth to explain herself but Giada beat her to the punch. "Lay off me will ya!" she started. "Tony isn't my boyfriend."

Grace felt air come back into her lungs and feeling come back into her limbs as she realized she wasn't caught. She resumed going down the line and picking up plates. But a new sensation struck her. curiosity. Tony? She had never heard that name before. Willy had mentioned that he had seen a newcomer in Giada's gang on the corner; a fairly handsome rascal who wore leather. He said the boy seemed sweet on her by the looks of it. Could this be Tony? Did her sister have an admirer as well?

"Have you met someone Giada?" she pried out of slightly selfish gain to gage the reactions of her other siblings. Giada blushed and swung her feet fighting a smile as Tony crossed her mind, Grace knew the feeling all too well. "Maybe." She admitted. "He is really hep and cool. But its probably nothin." Her smile faded a little.

"It probably isn't nothing." Called Briella from her bed. "You are a very pretty girl Giada and don't you forget it." Gabriella ever the sweetheart and the hope giver in the family said. She once had guys from the gondola docks to the leaning tower of Pisa waiting to take her out back in Napoli.

"You better hope its nothing." Spat Gavino sopping up his sauce with a piece of bread as Grace was trying to pick it up. "Why Gavino?" she questioned. "Don't you want to have brother in laws and sister in laws someday?"

"But that means more mouths to feed." He stated to which the twins nodded in agreement. "and then when the nieces and the nephews come along there will be even more mouths to-a feed."

Gabriella giggled. "Not all the time Gavino, only during holidays!" she then added with a dreamy look in her eyes. "And what wonderful holidays they will be."

Giada rested her head in her palm adding to the fantasy. "The girls in their little dresses."

"A giant tree and lots of presents!" Gina took it further. "and turkey roasting and blueberry pie!"

"Singing folk songs from the old country." Gabriella beamed.

"Playing a-horseshoes outta side, if there is no snow!" the twins chimed in. Giada slammed her hand on the table and pointed at Grace excitedly. "You can do a skit like you used to! And our sons can wear matching bowties!"

Grace leaned up against the wall and was glowing with the joy of the moment. "Yes and their fathers can carry them in on their shoulders the way papa used to do with us!" she reminisced on the past and dreamed about the future all the while loving the present! They were bonding! Actually bonding!

"One legged races!" shouted Gina who was now running about.

"I think I can win at that!" Gabriella teased. The house was full of hope again and fantasy, and dreams. Wonderful dreams that were sweet enough to be candy! But like all that is good…it didn't last. Geovani slowly stood up, his nostrils flaring and them his arm slowly rose and his glass hit the wall honing the attention in towards him with startled gasps. "Whatsa matter for you?" he roared. "All of yous! Are you all idiots? In whata world would anybody want any of you? Especially you!" he pointed to Giada and Gabriella and his eyes flashed to Grace.

He began to hawk the room. "The only way men would be interested in girls from your background is if they thought you were whores. Not even the nice kind, the puttane on the docks." He began to chuckle and Giada fought a sob as she held Gina's head to her chest. "Look at you; no education, no dowry, no prospects. You all would jump at the first man that looked at you. You'd be dead if it wasn't for me. I keep you safe, put a roof over your head and this is whata I get. Thinking you can get better?" he shook his head. "Ungrateful! All of you." He then turned to Gabriella with a malevolent smile and asked. "Do I even have to explain it?"

Gabriella only grinned happily. "Jokes on you Geovani." She stared at him evenly. "Somebody did want me. missing limbs and all." At her unfazed manor, he snorted and pointed at the broken glass. "Somebody pick that shit up, I want it gone by the time I get back." At that, he left and Giada began to dry her eyes. "See." She sniffed. "I told you it was nothing…."

Grace's soul was on fire. A month ago she would have kept her mouth shut, especially if the attack was aimed at her alone, not daring to convince the others of false hope, but Geovani had taken it too far this time. Not giving false hope was one thing, but now he was depriving them of self-worth, the one thing that Grace had fought so hard to instill in them and in herself, and besides that everything he had said was wrong. Willy had showed her that.

Grace bolted out the door after her brother and clung to the railing of the rickety steps as the crisp night air thrashed against her in cold pongs. "Geovani!" she called. Geovani turned with a cigarette dangling from his lips, the glowing tip shown like hellfire against a starless navy sky. Grace took a few steps down. "That was truly cruel what you said in there!" she shot.

Geovani tucked his hands his in pant pockets and rocked from heel to toe with a provoking smile. "I am keeping them grounded. I do it out of…love."

"No you're destroying them!" she countered quickly, she felt sick at the look in his eyes when he had said love; she could almost see what contorted meaning he had linked to a word that was meant to be so sacred. She didn't know what love was but she was sure it wasn't the ugly word Geovani used for empathy and reason. No, not when Willy had valued her voice and opinions and only asked for her honesty and companionship in return….

"Why?" she started. "Why is it so hard for you to believe someone could want us? Why can't you believe that people can look beyond what they can't see? Why cant the others dream? Tell me!" her voice rose with each word as angry tears rolled down her cheeks.

"The world is not a welcoming place to people like us. And it will never be. Why should that change?"

"Because it can change!" she challenged and it felt freeing to finally admit it. Her candy boy was right, it was that easy. "You were wrong about the world and you are wrong about me, about all of us!" she marched down to him boldly. "You can say whatever you want to me. but it will be a cold day in hell if I ever let you talk to the others that way again and an even colder day if I ever believe another damn thing that comes out of your mouth again!"

Geovani raised his fist but she didn't coward. "Go ahead, hit me. See if it changes anything! You're not the man of the house Geovani because you are not a man!" she said bluntly spreading her arms. He went to take her at her word and aimed to break a few of her ribs, to which she was ready to defend. But a noise in the distance like a gasp put a halt to his actions. Someone was watching them. Geovani backed down. "This isn't over." He spat before walking back in the house.

Grace let go of the breath she had been holding and placed a hand over her beating heart as she looked around for the source of the noise that had quite possibly saved her life. then she saw it. Two dazzling sapphire eyes filled with concern only for her, over by the dying elm. She smiled and started towards those eyes. "William." She breathed. But when she got near he was gone, almost like magic. It made her doubt that he was even there at all or if she had simply dreamt it.

But that doubt was soon turned to assurance when she beheld a brand new, light sage dress with a white starch collar hanging on one of the branches with matching shoes on the ground beneath which held two caramels in each shoe. The dress had a note pinned to it that read.

My Darling Girl,  
A journey of a thousand miles begins with one small step. Take yours tomorrow in these shoes and meet Mr. Brown at Mels Diner at 9:00am sharp. The ground is at last even between us. See you soon.  
W. Wonka

Grace took the dress down with a thoughtful smile. How long he had been watching over her and what it all meant she knew not. But it didn't matter now. All that mattered was that like a guardian angel he had been watching over her and he had heard her admit that he was right. And whatever he had planned, he wasn't going to steer her wrong. She started back in the house to get some rest for whatever was awaiting her the next day when one last thought occurred to her as she took to the steps; if Geovani wasn't a man…then her candy boy wasn't a boy….

He was a man. He was the candy man! And if anyone could help her and have her best interest at heart. The candy man can,….could,… and did!

 **This chapter was sort of hard and spuractic to write with 5 kids under the age of 10 at my house. Its fun having my little nephews here from out of state but being raised as an only child quiet time is missed..**

 **i'm at the quarter mark!** **I really love how this chapter came out and how Grace is really breaking out of my normal oc mold. I keep listening to CWTCF the musical and La Cage Aux Folles for inspirations and I honestly can't wait to bring Clive and Mr. Wilkinson in. I dOn't know why but I keep equating qualities I am giving or going to give to Willy with The Phantom of the Opera, I even have a scene in my head that almost parodies Music of The Night, when Eric introduces Christine into his world and she is in absolute awe, its very sweet but seductive**


	6. A New Start

Chp 6  
The next day Grace had gotten up extra early, had gotten her dress and shoes out from the roasting pot she had been hiding them in, tucked away safely from snooping siblings and she headed towards Mordel High School which was a few blocks away.

At the high school she found the chain link gate had its standard weekend padlock and chain on it, so she traveled down the length of the fence sliding her hand along it until she found a bit that gave under her touch, it was seemingly loose and unattached ever so slightly to the post and Grace slid herself through the opening with very little trouble and began to make her way to the gym hall where the locker rooms and showers were.  
As she traveled down the empty hall she was met with the old janitor Mr. Maurice who shuffled along with his bucket and mop. Grace brushed his shoulder as she passed him and bid him a polite good morning. Mr. Maurice smiled at her from under his large walrus red mustache and asked. "Top of the mornin to you Miss Grace! Is it shower day again already? And where is the rest of the Grammario clan?"

Grace gave a laughing smile to the kindly old man as she held the door to the girls locker room open. "Just me today Mr. Maurice, the others are still sleeping I imagine and shower day isn't till Monday evening I know, but today is a special occasion! Do you mind? I won't be long."

The man nodded in consent. He had been letting the family shower their once or twice a week when the school was closed for many years. They were good kids, rough around the edges perhaps but good kids and the locker rooms and showers always ended up cleaner when they left as to when they came in.

Grace shut the door behind her and clicked the lock. She laid out the sage gown on a bench delicately and placed the cream colored heels up on a vacant locker shelf before disregarding her rags and tossing them on the floor before turning on the water and letting the semi warmth rain over her. Washing her hair she sang happily. It was a song she had heard performed by the incredible duo of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. It was a twenties vaudeville style song with astonishing big band brass to back it. She could hear the band in her mind as she crooned out the lyrics effortlessly with a few minor changes, so the words would fit a certain someone she was thinking of...  
" You know the one I mean,  
Sure you know the one I mean  
That certain party of mine  
Naughty eyes, turned up nose  
Rosy cheeks and pretty clothes, what a smarty

Has he got loving ways?  
Sure, he has got loving ways  
That certain party of mine."

She lathered, rinsed and repeated to the song that had been in her head for hours. She was going to see Willy again after so long, which was every reason for her to sing. Plus, a nice shower can put a spring in anyone's step.

She grabbed a towel and wrapped herself in it and went over to her awaiting dress and sat undoing each button with such care. The fabric was warm and soft against her clean lavender scented skin. The gown fit her perfectly; clinging in the places it should and hanging loosely in other places, the skirt swooshed gently with each step she took. And the elegant sage color made her eyes even bluer. She adjusted the collar and cinched up the belt with precision. Before slipping on the heels; which, to her surprise were comfortable and fit perfectly as well.

She walked around in a circle before the line of mirrors that were hung above sinks and looked herself from different angles. What would her siblings think if they saw her like this? What would Willy think? She wondered. His mind was so brilliant and so sharp that he probably already knew what she would look like when he had bought the dress. He had such good tastes, but being a candyman she wasn't surprised that he would pick out something so beautiful. There was a certain hint of an aroma to the gown that she recognized almost instantly. His cologne! He used it all but sparingly and it made her laugh but now it was almost like a security blanket, she inhaled deeply.

She looked at herself again and frowned. Her hair was drying and sticking out every direction. It certainly did nothing for her. she looked like a joke now. She went to one of the sinks and tried to wet her hands to smooth it out but to no avail. She looked down feeling almost ashamed when something caught her eye in the rubbish bin. It was almost empty except for a candy wrapper, a broken powder compact, reminisce of a shattered lipstick and a can of Happy Hair spray.

Good fortune must have been smiling on her! quickly she fished the items out of the bin and made quick work of them. She had no puff for the powder but was able to apply it with her hands and make it go evenly on her face and the shattered pieces of lipstick where nothing short of difficult to use but she managed. And blending the remainder of powder and lipstick together with a splash of water she made a makeshift eyeshadow and applied it with her finger. And the little bit of hairspray there was, was a godsend!

Now when she looked at herself she smiled!

When she exited Mr. Maurice did a double take. "All done Mr. Maurice." She told him. "Thank you." Her heels clacked against the hall floor as she walked back the way she had came, into the sunlight. The poor janitor still looked dumbstruck; trying to figure out where the urchin girl had gone and where the middle-class looking beauty had come from. Had Audrey Hepburn or Liz Taylor been hiding in the Lou? It certainly looked that way.

Grace stood outside the diner door looking in on the waitresses in their little blue dresses and red roller skates as they glided along the checkered floor with such ease to the music that was blaring from the jukebox all too loudly. It was a hopping scene. Grace smiled, one of the waitresses spotted her and waved her in to her surprise. Grace obeyed and the little blonde waitress, Joyce her tag read rolled up to her. "Come on in, come on in!" she beckoned friendlily. "I'll get you a table!" Grace was taken aback for a moment by the hospitality, but catch the waitress before she could get too far. "Actually I'm meeting a Mr. Brown. Is he here yet?" she asked.

Joyce the waitress craned her neck and pointed to one of the red leather booths that was occupied by a man in brown suit, dapping sweat off his brow as he spoke into a phone. "If you wait at the nook I'm sure he'll be done in a second."

"Ok thank you." Nodded Grace before taking a seat. She took in her surroundings as she waited. No one stared at her, or even paid her any never mind; she almost laughed at the irony. She sighed happily. What a wonderful gift Willy had given her! Some normalcy and peace of mind, she could kiss him for it.

Actually… that wasn't a bad idea. Grace thought back to the gondola docks in Napoli. Gabriella had a suitor back then and both her legs. When Gabriella would sneak away to the docks with her little sister to see her suitor, Grace would just watch with a mixture of awe and mild disgust. Gabriella and her suitor would kiss for hours it felt like. The boy would almost be holding her up by wrapping his arms around her. the sun shown off the sparkling water as the two beautiful people clung to each others lips, broke apart, smiled, whispered something, laughed and then kissed again.

Grace unconsciously bit her lip and span slowly on the stool as she fantasized sweetly. "Excuse me hun." a voice called her back to reality, it was the waitress or a waitress at least. This one was clearly Hispanic and gorgeous as can be, too beautiful to be a waitress, in fact. "Mr. Brown is ready for you."

Grace nodded and was willingly escorted to the booth, sitting hesitantly. "Thank you Maria." Mr. Brown said waving the waitress away, and watching her swaying hips as she left. "Thank you for meeting me here. There is just more room and privacy here than in the shop… So!" he started thumbing through the paperwork before him. Grace noted that it was applications with her name on it but it was in no way in her writing. It was too neat to be her penmanship. "You are G. Sarina Grammario?"

Grace swallowed as the man eyed her over his glasses. "I am sir." She admitted.

He grunted and looked deeper into the paperwork. "You are not a boy." He started flatly, he was very cut and dry. He moistened his lips. "Ideally, I like my clerks to be boys since there is some lifting of crates and shelf stocking involved." He eyed her again this time looking for an answer.

Grace cleared her throat to hide any trace of nervousness and the fact she had no idea what he was talking about; she thought of the best answer and threw it out there. "Lifting shouldn't be a problem sir. My sister, that is my older sister lost both her legs when I was very young and I help lift her in and out of bed sometimes.'

"Sorry to hear that." Mr. Brown nodded, before leaning forward. "Where are your parents?"

"They travel for work sir. Its just me and my siblings at home." she hoped that he wouldn't question any further about her background. He only nodded. "Tell me." he clicked his tongue. "Sharp lookin girl like you, 19 years old, a handicapped at home; why this job? Why even look for a job? Why not a waitress or telephone operator? You got a nice enough voice."

Grace took in a breath and kept her eyes level acting as if she had total confidence in what she was saying she leant forward. "An idle mind is the devils playground." She started. "My sister is pretty independent or she wants to be and she wants me to be home less. And I think this job would keep me busy and on my feet as apposed to any other. Besides I have a distinct interest in-" she glanced down at the paperwork quickly. "sales. And I like being around people."

She knew how stupid and strange it sounded as it was coming out of her mouth, but she remained calm. Mr. Brown waved for a waitress with his finger and dug in his breast pocket for his wallet. "I think I've heard enough. Check please." He said indicating that she had blown it. Her heart sank, she had failed. "I understand. Thank you for your time." he sat his wallet down face open so he could sign his check. Grace scooted closed to look at the picture inside. "Are these your kids?" she asked with an admiring smile.

"Yes." Said Mr. Brown. "12 and 16."

"I can tell, they look like you." Grace looked up briefly with a smile. "My sisters are their ages. Such fun ages to be, fun ages to watch too." She said genuinely.

Mr. Brown slowly sat back down; interested in the interest she was showing in him. "How many siblings did you say you have again?" he asked.

"Seven. Four boys, three girls" she replied.

"Holy Toledo that must be a crowd."

"It is!" she laughed, and they began to talk. Mr. Brown saw her goodness and her kindness and they passed an hour just conversing over coffee and water. And when the time came for him to leave again he stood back up and said. "Look, you seem like a good kid." He started grabbing his hat. "My clerk at the store god help him, crazy as a loon just hit me with this needing an assistant clerk ordeal a few days ago. Doesn't like people to begin with, but hell now apparently he needs two people for a one man job. I have no interest in dealing with it. He runs the store not me, I'm just the hiring committee at this point and I don't wanna argue with the boy." He paused. "So I'm going to give you a shot. I'm not saying Wonka is going to be the easiest ding bat to work for but you seem up for it."

Grace smiled from the booth knowingly. "I know exactly who you are talking about. I'm sure we'll get along just fine."

Mr. Brown bugged his eyes out in warning. "You better hope so cause you'll be working under him. Theres a scary thought. Wonka as a boss." He started towards the door. "Anyway. Best of luck to you kid. Glad to know you." And with that he left.

Later she found her candyman up on the rolling ladder stocking the top shelf his tongue perched in the corner of his lips, deep in thought. She stood just below him with her hands clasped. "Can I do anything?" she asked breaking the silence with a gentle smile. He did not look away from his task.

"No you start work tomorrow." He paused stealing a glance down at her. "I knew he would hire you." He went about his work and continued. "You know, I am not the only one who is a contradictory here. You are a very good actress, but aside from that you are very genuine. And people genuinely like genuine people." he explain. Grace laughed and stepped closer to the ladder with her arms hugged to her chest.

"You should have been a philosopher." She replied.

"There's no chocolate in it." Willy said matter-of-factly. "You will never catch me doing anything that doesn't involve chocolate. Chocolate is what I love; your hair is the color of chocolate, your eyes are also a shade darker than cornflower blue and that is what first drew me to you, the fact that you had a sweet personality is a bonus and what keeps me enticed; if you're going to do something do something you love." He spoke so passively on the subject that she could tell that he felt no awkwardness at all, that and his brilliant mind was elsewhere.

Grace bit her lip. "Will, about this job. You didn't have to open a position just for me I-"

"I didn't." he cut her off. "I've been meaning to get an assistant so that I can see to other matters." His eyes flashed to the cake stand that held untouched squares of fudge. "Go taste that." He instructed. Grace did as her candyman asked. It was terrible. It tasted like dirt tampered with ground up fossil bones and coco powder. Grace spat it out into a napkin. "Oh god!" she gagged. "That is even worse than the malt you gave me!"

"Mrs. Brown makes it fresh every week." Willy explained climbing down from the ladder. "and every week I end up throwing it away."

Grace still trying to get the horrendous taste out of her mouth interrupted. "You know I am not going to let you talk me into trying stuff anymore, you always give me the gross stuff!" she spat. Willy was unfazed. "Someone has to do it besides me." he reasoned. "Anyway back to what I was saying. I want to try and make the fudge myself. I cant do that if I'm constantly stocking shelves and placing orders to suppliers. So my darling girl in short I did not open this position just for you, I simply found that our interests were a lined so I put in an application for you and left it up to chance. And in addition to that I will state that I don't intend to go easy on you. I will be tough on you in training and will treat you as I would any other co-worker who would work under me. I like things done a certain way and they WILL be done to my standards. You can get fired and you may not like me in the end in fact. Is that clear dear girl?" It was less of a warning and more of a bout of assurance that he was going to make things equal between them just as she wanted and not a free ride. Grace beamed as he stepped closer to her, everything she ever wanted just before her eyes. "You make yourself crystal clear Mr. Wonka." She affirmed.

His faced softened and he cupped her cheek with such soft affection. "Good." He started closing the gap between them, his sugary breath on her face. "I may not have opened the position for you" he whispered. "But I'm glad it is you."

And for the moment; after being so long in doubt and so long without each other…it was enough said.

 **i like this chapter its whimsical**

 **the song that Grace sings is : "That Certain Party of Mine" i wanted a fun shower song and i just hit play on a Deano Album and came up with this**

 **Joyce and the diner are a cameo from my Jersey Girls fanfic and Maria is** **suburbantimewaster** **'s character from Unexpected this was before she became Mr. Wonka's Secretary. hopefully I did her justice**

.

 **a special thanks to** Linkwonka88 and **Ukaske for the reviews! i love reviews!**

 **the end is mostly based on the song "I'm Glad There Is you." because I think it fits Willy and Grace perfectly**


	7. Pure Imagination

Chp 7  
Mr. Brown was right and Willy was true to his word as always. Working for the candyman was no piece of cake. He did like things a certain way, to the point he was almost anal. Grace knew she was going to be stocking shelves but she didn't know that each candy had to be displayed a very, very,… very pacific way. Willy's way…

At one point he even made her take a ruler and measure that each candy bar in one of the displays was exactly 3 and a quarter inches apart. The first week was absolutely exhausting for both parties. They got on each others nerves and drove each other to their wits end on more than one occasion. Grace even sassed him once and Willy had to remind her that under the roof of the candy store for certain hours that he was her superior, but even after all that they found that they would have rather been annoyed with each other than be in bliss with anyone else.

In its own way it was blissful. She would get up early kiss Gabriella (who knew about the job) goodbye and go before would anyone question her. When she got to the shop Willy would be waiting at the counter with two cups of hot coffee and since it was before hours he would greet Grace at the door and say "good morning my darling girl, did you sleep pleasantly?" and then they would sit and converse about whatever they pleased. Then they would clean up and begin their day.

Honestly, they rarely saw each other when work began. Willy spent most of his time in the allusive storeroom. Why was it allusive? Let me explain. When Willy would go in some of the most unusual things would come out…. Like smells. The smell of chocolate cooking. Sugar boiling, she could hear it boiling. Did he have a kitchen back there? No, he couldn't! it was a storeroom. Even more odd was when he brought out a stack of books on the theatre and old scripts and gave them to her from his "personal selection". And odder still; he changed clothes once after he had accidentally spilled his coffee on his vest and tie; when he came out of the storeroom he had not two but four different ties and he had asked Grace which one he should wear.

What was behind that door? The mystery only grew as time went on. One night when the two were closing up shop Grace was rearranging the lollipop display. She liked looking at the new flower molds that Kinton candies came out with. It gave the large sweets a touch of beauty. The candyman emerged himself and Grace gave him a sidelong glance. "Is this up to status quo Mr. Wonka?" she asked him. He sauntered over to her with a grin. "We are off the clock now." He said leaning one hand up against the wall and cocking his eyebrows. "You can start addressing me as Willy or Will again."

Grace shook her head and chuckled lightly. "I like calling you Mr. Wonka. It gives you a businessman quality."

"Heavens." He countered standing behind her and sliding lollipops into the slots that were too high for her to reach. "If I knew you liked formality so much I should address you as Ms. Grammario."

Grace turned her head and looked up at the gentle giant who gazed at her with large blue eyes. "Just Grace is good enough for me, Will." He smirked and touched his finger to the tip of her nose affectionately. "That's better." He mused before he took the convections from her hands and placed them gingerly on the counter but she reached for them; to which he placed one hand on her waist and the other upon her cheek. "Will, we shouldnt…. what if someone sees." She broke away gently, secretly looking out the window for any sign of her brothers or sisters

Grace sighed, even with everything going smoothly she felt that Geovani would always be her Sword of Damocles; his doubt, his negativity looming in the back of her mind no matter how hard she tried to shake it. She decided to change the subject.

"I need to place an order to get some more cherry liquorish." She did a quick scan of the room. 'Do you know where I put the inventory book? I just had it yesterday, I must have misplaced it."

"Nonsense." Countered Willy flatly as he studied a jar of jawbreakers distractedly. "I took it in the back last night; I needed it…"

"Oh I'll go get it then." She said heading towards the door eagerly. It took the candyman a moment to realize what was happening but once it occurred to him where his girl was going he bolted across the room as quick as he could and braced himself against the door with a wild look in his eyes. It startled Grace. "Will what the hell are you doing?"

"Let me get the book, I'll get the book!" Willy rambled with such intensity, such fear.

Grace was almost so uneased and angry that she dropped it. But his eyes they were so dark…so much like a desperate child, she touched his hand gently. "Willy what is it? What are you hiding from me?" she asked.

"Nothing my dear, nothing."

She felt her anger swell again. "These certainly are not the actions of a man who has nothing to hide!" she shot. "Let me see what is behind that door!"

"No!" he snapped. "I said no and if you press the matter further I will report you to Mr. Brown."

Grace was shocked. Shocked and hurt; how could such a drastic change happen so quickly? A moment ago she was talking to a man she had felt complete trust in, would open up his soul to her if she asked and now like a flip of a switch it was like she was speaking to a person she had never met before. Grace clicked her jaw. "Oh I see. I see we're back on the clock right? When you say jump I ask how high, right?"

She turned on her heel and started towards the door. "I won't be coming in early for coffee tomorrow Mr. Wonka I will be here at the time I am suppose to clock in"

"Grace-" he started.

"Goodnight Mr. Wonka." She said sharply as the door slammed behind her.

When walking home there was a pit in her stomach, it didn't even feel like she was walking "home" but leaving it. On most nights her and Willy would talk for hours sometimes even go out and stay out till the wee small hours and even then he would ask for "just five more minutes" and she would go home, sleep and the day would start again. But now, now she was going back to her siblings when they were all awake and alert.

When she came in there was silence and eyes glaring like cold daggers. She tried desperately to un-alienate herself by making small talk but to no avail. She even tried cleaning up the dinner dishes and they took that task from her indifferently. The cold shoulder was a product of Geovani. He was poisoning their minds against her. her own siblings, the ones she raised as her own. She had done all she could; put her paycheck towards the household, brought home surprises but still they saw her as slacking off on her duties to the family and being selfish. She could have been working in the salt mines and Geovani still would force the others against her. Gabriella was her only reprieve from sorrow at that house.

The next morning when she stood at the corner where she was to cross the street she saw her candyman seated at the counter; an untouched cup of coffee in his hands as he stared forlorn off into space… a vacant porcelain coffee cup next to him also full of coffee, two packets of sugars lay open next to it. She smiled to herself. He still set out her coffee just the way she liked it.

When she walked in the shop she was surprised to see the record player spinning, accurately playing "I Couldn't Sleep A Wink Last Night" by Frank Sinatra. Willy was unmoved even when she removed the needle from the disc and took a few steps toward him. "Not like you to have the record player on." She said softly breaking the silence.

He sighed. "I didn't want to hear myself think." He looked at her over his shoulder slightly. "Besides I'm used to sounds in the morning now,…the sound of your voice." He finally took a sip of his coffee and winced at the unexpected chill and put the cup back down. Grace sat herself on the stool next to him and put her hand in his as it rest on the counter. Her eyes met his with complete confidence "I love you." She said softly as he stared at her. "I hope you know that. More than I thought I could love anyone. It scares me to feel this way, but I do."

He was stunned to hear her say the words, he squeezed her fingers gently. "and I you. He paused. "I was wrong to threaten you with Mr. Brown; its just that…whats in the storeroom…its very personal to me." he looked away. "Its my lifes work… it would be like stripping down naked or making love. Its not something I take lightly."

Grace smiled a little. "I wish you would have told me." she cocked her head. "I would have understood you know. Better than you acting like one of the three stooges and bracing yourself against the door!"

He chuckled lightly but another frown soon followed with a sigh. "Not that my lifes work will mean anything." His eyes flashed to the fudge on the cake plate, his own recipe. "I keep putting it out and no one even wants to taste it."

Grace bit her lip, thinking. It then occurred to her just what to do. She went over to where the fudge was, removed the glass dome and began cutting the fudge into bite sized pieces. Willy jumped to his feet in such a state. "Grace! Grace! Stop!" he pled. "You are mutilating my fudge! Stop! Stop!" he went to stop her by grabbing her wrist but when he looked into her eyes he saw total assurance and backed away. He knew just as she had learned to trust him, he needed to learn to trust her.

When she was finished she put the pieces back on the cake plate and headed out the door, but before she left she turned back to the worry struck candyman and said. "I will be back." And disappeared.

He paced like an expectant father in a hospital waiting room. What was that girl doing? She had been gone for half an hour. He was going to give her a good piece of his mind when she got back! Just as he was thinking this he heard something like a symphony of voices coming up the street and towards the shop. Willy looked out the window and saw a crowd of people led by Grace. He couldn't believe his eyes.

They all swarmed in demanding HIS fudge! Mothers, fathers, school kids, businessmen, they were all there! Giving money hand over fist for his fudge! His creation! It was as if the candy store had exploded! There were people out the door placing orders and preorders and pre-preorders. Wonka had a phenomenon on his hands! Willy stood back proudly and watched.

That evening when the masses had finally died out. Willy gazed upon the empty plate of fudge, exhausted from the dance of supply and demand. And knowing that gladly it would start again the next day. As his eyes scanned the shop his eyes fell upon the girl seated at the counter doing the books of what they had made today. Her profile so soft, so sweet; he had never found her more beautiful as in this moment. She helped him succeed!...of course, what he failed to realize that she was Italian and feeding people was in her blood but I digress.

He placed his lips close to her ear, taking her by surprise he whispered with a sweet, heated breath. "Come with me." he took her hand before she could protest and led her away from the counter with such dark mischief in his eyes and in his demeanor that it sent a chill through the young starlet.

They stood at the storeroom door. Willy easily withdrew the key from his pocket and slipped it in the lock before turning to her, his face half shadowed. Something lit his eyes, something she had never seen before, intense and domineering. He stepped closer to her and her heart raced as their lips were inches away. His hand came up to cup her cheek. "What I am about to show you is the most intimate part of me. it is my soul, my world. Do you understand me?"

Grace felt her heart seize up; seeing the vulnerability and unwavering trust in his eyes with a hint of longing, feeling their closeness all she could do was nod and hope that he could not see her trembling. Whatever was behind that door was no ordinary storeroom, it was something sacred and beautiful; she could tell. "Yes." She whispered in a breath. "Yes I understand."

At this warm, gentle fingers slid down the length of her arm until it reached her hand and clasped it once more. "Take a breath." He instructed and she exhaled shakily. "Close your eyes." Was his next soft request, she obeyed him, hearing the door creak open as he pushed it open with his free hand and she felt him lead her inside. they stopped and though she could not see she felt him near her once more. "Make a wish." He whispered impassioned and she felt his hand leave hers, his footsteps becoming slightly distant as she heard a light switch being flipped. "Count to three." She did as he asked, until his hand engulfed hers again now his words were directly and intensely in her ear again, honey dripping from his voice. "Open your eyes. Forget everything you know about the world and about chocolate and open your eyes."

She did and…she was in a new world. The dim light of candles cast an unearthly glow on everything that was before her eyes. She was speechless. Above her was a chandelier made completely of light and dark blue gummy bears and yet it looked as beautiful as if it were made of glass. She let go of his hand and he watched with great pride as she stepped forward wordless. Against the wall was what appeared to be a grand fireplace sculpted out of fondant with delicate moldings and a blown sugar fire inside in flaming shades of orange and gold. Before the fire was what looked like a faithful dog laying happily but was really a chocolate convection as fake and as hollow as the bunnies one buys at Easter. Paintings on the wall made entirely out of well placed jelly beans. Real paintings like the Mona Lisa and Starry night.

There were some trivial items too; like a book shelf and a desk and a bed which suggested that he lived there which struck a cord of pity in her. which only increased when she went to the desk. On the wall was newspaper clippings about his "home"….it wasn't a home at all, not even an orphanage. It was an asylum. His parents had put him in an asylum! There were several clippings about brutal outbreaks and attacks, not only by the inmates but by the doctors as well. There was even a picture of him twelve years old, laying in his own blood; battered and broken. The picture made Grace sick; how could no one think to help him? A twelve year old boy! And she could imagine that it wasn't the first beating but it was the first that made headlines. Tears involuntarily filled her eyes as she imagined it knowing how scared she had been sometimes when Geovani would wail on her and her siblings, a fear that no one should endure. But Willy. How could the world be so cruel as that? She couldn't stand thinking of someone as good and as kind as him suffering a life in an insane asylum. Just like it was with Gabriella, it was like seeing an angel put into hell.

She read on to see that there was a fire three years later on and that two inmates had escaped and she could only assume that he was one of them. Her eyes continued to scan the wall above the desk. Now there were sketches. His sketches. And these sketches were scenes in his life, things that he thought were beautiful. And below the sketches the scenes were molded into small chocolate and blown sugar displays. Her eyes kept going until one of the sketches caught her eyes. Her fingers touched the parchment delicately. "I have been watching you for longer than you know." His voice was soft as she examined the picture of herself. She turned her face and saw him smile and gesture to more sketches, pressing his free hand against the small of her back. They were all sketches of her, from age 14 on. Moments in her life when she thought she was invisible, when she thought no one could care less. He cared….he had always cared. She felt deeply moved.

He left her side and picked up another blown sugar item from his desk and held it as if it were the most fragile thing in the world and handed it to her. "This." he started. "Is my most cherished creation. You must be careful with her. She is more delicate than she looks." He eyed her with a hidden meaning. When Grace opened her hands she saw that it was her…not her now, but her when they had met with short chocolate hair and cornflower blue eyes, a patchy dress and bare feet.

She gasped softly. She could control herself no longer. She cradled the chocolate doll to her body so that it would not drop and grabbed his shoulder tightly with her free hand, standing on her toes to reach his lips. She pressed their lips together hard and his eyes widened at the suddenness. Could this be real? Or was this the product of pure imagination? She pulled away and the impact was like crashing to earth in a great glass box. They stared at each other opened mouth for the longest time, motionless and unsure. The candyman was the first to move. He took the convection doll from her arms and set it on the desk quietly before he embraced her ardently, nearly lifting her off the ground and pressing their mouths together again, he hungrily initiated the second kiss…and a million more after that.

 **Gees this took forever to write**

 **Here is the phantom of the opera/pure imagination parody I was talking about and a glimpse into a darker past of Willy Wonka.**

 **a special thanks to**

 **suburbantimewaster** **for making me this video** **/jK4JeforV5A**

 **I love writing romance but i hate it. I must have cut like 3 different things just because i was scared it was sappy or mary-sueish**

 **thank you 3 please review**


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